Venting device for radiators



May 12, 1942. w. .u *MAsoNER VENTING DEVICE FOR RADIATORS Filed May 25, 1936 A K u. j

Patented May 12, 1942 VENTING DEVICE Fon RADIAToRs william J. Masoner, chicago, In., assignent The l Dole Valve Company, Chicago, Ill., a corpora.-

tion of Illinois Application May 25, 1936, Serial No. 81,596 4 claims. (ci. 137-122)4 n 'Ihis invention relates to improvements in venting devices for radiators and has for its object to provide a new and improved device of this description.

The invention has as a further object to provide a venting device particularly adapted for convector radiators. The invention has as a further object to provide a venting device for concealed radiators. The invention has as a further object to provide a venting device for hot water radiators, which indicates when the radiator has been completely vented so that the vent can be closed before the water is discharged from the device. The invention has as a further object-to provide al venting device for concealed radiators which is itself concealed and which indicates when the radiator has been properly vented. The invention has as a further object to provide a venting device arranged so that any water passing through the venting device will be properly taken care of and evaporated so that the Vdevicerequires no attention on account of this water.A

The invention has further objects v.which are more particularly pointed out in the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a view showing a concealed radiator with one formfofv the venting device in position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line `33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional Viewjtaken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View as seen from the lline 5 5 of Fig. `1.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures. 4

In the use of convector heating systems, such as hot water heating systems, the radiators must be vented of air at intervals, in some cases one or more times a week. This venting must be done by unskilled persons,`is a disagreeable job under means of'pumps, and hence if the vent is held open too long considerable amounts of water may be discharged from lthe system. The present constructionprovides a venting device which avoids these and other difficulties.

There is illustrated in the drawing a portion of a heating system wherein concealed radiators are used. Fig. 1 illustrates one of these concealed radiators I located in a recess or alcove 2 and provided with a concealing panel 3. The radiator is mounted upon suitable supports 4 and is supplied with heating liquid through the pipe 5. The concealing panel is preferably provided at the bottom with an air admission opening 6 and atothe top with an air discharge opening 1. There is a regulating device 8 for the discharge opening 1, by means of which the amount of heated air entering the room is regulated, the -regulationbeing secured by moving the regulating device I! to close off more or less of the opening l. At theupper part of the radiator, where the vair collects, a vent opening is provided. Connected with.the vent opening is a pipe This pipe may .be connected therewith in any desired manner, las for example by a pressure coupling I0, see.V Fig. 4. The pipe 9 preferably extends upwardly to apointbelow the discharge opening "I and is connected with a vent valve device .having a hollow body portion II containing a vent valve member `I2 which controls the, passageway I3 connected with the pipe 9. Surrounding the passageway I3 is a Valve seat I4 and the valvemember I2 is provided with a seat engaging portion I5 which engages this valve scatto close the passageway I3 and prevent any discharge from'the radiator therethrough. The

valve member I2 is provided With a suitable packing I6 which is compressed andheld in. place by the packing nut II.k Some means is provided for preventing the withdrawal of the Avalve member I2 and in the construction shown this result is secured by havingla shoulder vI2a engage the packing washer IIal when the valve has been moved to its open position. The valve member I2` may be provided with a quadruple thread I2b tospeedup the opening and closing.

Surrounding the outer end of the valve member I2 is a hollow threaded member I8 threaded to the body portion II and which is provided with a head or flange I8. The valve device is vsupported in position by providing an opening in the concealing panel 3 of suicient size for the body of the hollow threaded member I8 to pass therethrough and then clamp the portion of the concealingpanel surrounding thel opening,- between the ange I9 and the end of the body portion II and in the space 20, see Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that by tightening up the hollow threaded member I8 the valve device can be tightly clamped to the concealing panel so as to be held in position. The end of the valve member I2 which projects through the panel 3 is preferably non-circular, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the valve member may be easily turned to open or close it. The other end may be supported on the pipe 9 and the radiator I. This valve device may be placed in any desired position, but is preferably placed below the discharge opening 1 and in a place where the end of the valve member I2 is conveniently accessible from the outside of `the concealing panel 3.

There is preferably connected with the body portion I I a tank or receptacle 2| with which the pipe 9 communicates through the passageway I3 andthe hollow of the body portion II and the passageway 22. in any desired manner and as herein shownV is attached to an annular member 23 on the body portion I I. In the particular construction shown the end of the tank fits into this annular member as shown. The tank is providedat the top with an opening 24.

Associated with the vent valve is a signaling device which is acted upon by the air discharged from the radiator, so as to give an indication that the air is being discharged. As herein shown this signaling device consists of a noise producing device, such as a whistle 25, which may be attached in any desired position where the air escaping from the radiator will act upon it. As herein shown, this noise producing device has its end inserted in a recess in the body portion II and may be held in position by means of solder or the like 26. This noise producing device may be of any suitable form, construction and size to give the proper indicating signal. The air and water passing through the body portion I I passes through an opening 2'I in the noise producing device. This opening may be provided in any desired manner. As herein shown, the noise pro' ducing device is hollow and has an opening 28 in its side and there is a plug 29 in the end nearest the body portion II. The opening 2l may be provided by having a portion of the plug removed at that point. By means of this construction any water which enters the tank 2I will be evaporated and pass out through the opening 24, the heat from the radiator assisting in this evaporation.

I prefer to provide means for preventing for-` eign matter from entering the pipe 9 and the valve device at the end thereof. One means for securing this result consists in providing a strainer 30 which may be attached to the end of ythe coupling I so as to project into the radiator I. The coupling I0 may be recessed at the lower end and the strainer inserted in this recess and fastened thereto in any desired manner, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

It will be noted that with this construction there is nothing unsightly protruding into the room beyond the concealing panel and that the only thing that can be seen from the room is the end of the flange I9.

The openings 6 and 'I are preferably provided with ornamental grilles 6a and 'Ia which may correspond with the decoration of the room. It will be seen that by means of this invention there is no interference whatever with the decoration of the room with which the radiator 4or radiators are associated, for the panel can be decorated as The tank 2| is held in position desired and in substantially the same way that it could be decorated if there was no radiator back of it, and there are no access doors which would mar the effect of the decoration.

The use and operation of my device are as follows.

When it is desired to vent the radiator, the valve member I2 is turned by someone in the room on the outside of the panel 3 by means of a suitable tool or key fitting over the non-circular end of the valve member, and this moves the valve member to its open position, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that during this operation the party opening the valve cannot see what is happening, the parts of the venting device being concealed back of the panel 3. If there is any water in the pipe 9, it Will be forced through the body portion II and the noise producing device 25 into the tank 2|. After the water has been discharged, the air in the radiator will pass through the pipe 9 and through the body portion' II and throughr the noise producing device 25 and produce a noise. The party controlling the valve member I2 will then know that air is being discharged from the radiator. When all of the air is discharged, water will pass from the pipe 9 through the body portion I I and noise producing device 25 and the noise, whether a whistle or other noise, will cease. The party manipulating the valve member I2 will then know that all of the air is out of the radiator and will then close the valve member I2. Usually there will only be a small amount of water discharged into the tank 2l at any venting operation and this small amount, being in a heated chamber, will be evaporated quickly so that under normal conditions it will be properly taken care of and the tank will never be lled to overflowing.

It will therefore be seen that by means of this device the air can Vbe easily, quickly and satisfactorily discharged from the radiators and that even when the venting device is -concealed, so that the party venting the radiator cannot see what is happening, the air can be vented properly without discharging water into the room or into the recess 2.

I claimz 1. An air venting device for hot water systems, comprising a casing through which the air'from the radiator is discharged, a valve in said vcasing for controlling the discharge of air from thev casing, a signaling device associated with saidcasing and actuated by the -air discharged from said casing, a valve stem for said valve, -a support through Which said valve stem passes, and a clamping device connected with said valve casing having separated clamping elements between which a portion of said support is received, for clamping it upon said support with the valve stem exposed through the support.

2. An air venting device for hot water systems, comprising a casing through which the air from the radiator is discharged, a valve in said casing for Icontrolling the discharge of -air from the casing, ya signaling device communicating with said valve casing and actuated by air escaping from the valve casing, a concealing panel for said valve casingand .signaling device, having an opening therein, a fastening member on the outside of said concealing panel and having a projecting part which projects through said opening and engages said casing, said casing and fastening member having eng-aging parts which engage said panel so as to removably clamp it between them, and a valve stem for said valve, saidfastening device having an opening into which the end of the valve stem is received.

3. An air venting device for hot water systems, comprising a casing through which the air from the radiator is discharged, a valve in said casing for controlling the discharge of air from the casing, a signaling device connected with said casing and actuated by the air discharged from the casing, and a receptacle attached to said casing, for receiving -Water that may be discharged from the casing, said signalling device being located on said casing.

4. An air venting device for hot Water systems,

comprising a casing through which the air fromA 

